Yes, Tim Lincecum gets to be human. He gets to have slumps and funks and times when he is more Clark Kent than Superman. But for a team that relies on Lincecum so much, with an offense as pitiful as the Giants' has been, his rare brush with mediocrity is scary.

One start after Lincecum was slammed for five runs in one inning at Arizona, he was worse in Wednesday night's 7-3 loss to Washington at AT&T Park, where some of the 30,230 actually booed him.

In taking his first loss of the year, Lincecum allowed six runs for the first time since September 2008, and failed to last five innings for the first time since Sept. 20.

Lincecum walked five for the third consecutive game, hit a batter and started 11 of his 25 hitters with ball one. He also allowed four stolen bases, two by Adam Kennedy in the same inning. Even Ryan Zimmerman stole his first base of the season against Lincecum, who heard some boos for his inability to hold runners.

Lincecum admitted he lost his focus.

"You can see the frustration in my face, which I really don't want to show," he said. "When you start seeing the pattern coming once again, it manifests itself and you start thinking about it and you get away from who you are."

Manager Bruce Bochy was most distressed that Lincecum invited the four steals by not watching the runners. But Bochy also would be distressed by any talk of Lincecum needing to be something more than human.

"I don't want to put that on Timmy, that he's got to shut down the other team all the time," Bochy said. "Sure, there's a confidence when he's on the mound, but people have to realize he's going to have off days."

Meanwhile, the Giants had little answer for rookie Luis Atilano and his 5.06 ERA. They got a Juan Uribe homer, an unearned run and an RBI double by Pablo Sandoval but wasted too many other scoring chances to make a serious comeback from down 6-0.

This is definitely a tale of two Freaks. In April, Lincecum was 4-0 with a 1.27 ERA, seven walks and 43 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings. With one start to go in May, he is 1-1 with a 4.99 ERA, 18 walks and 37 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings.

The Nats took a 3-0 lead in the third with the help of a mental mistake by Sandoval, who failed to get an out on a slow roller by Adam Dunn when he momentarily looked for a force at second. Washington scored three more in the fifth on one hit, two walks, the hit batter and three steals.

Everyone wants answers on Lincecum. A blister would be an easy one, but he and Bochy both pooh-poohed a pregame television report that the pitcher was fighting a blister. But even as Lincecum was denying it was an issue, he kept his hands in his jacket pockets.

More to the point, Lincecum said, "I've told you guys time and time again, it's about rhythm and timing. Obviously this was another game without it, and it kind of hurt. Falling behind guys, guys running all over me, walking guys, that doesn't really help my cause."

Before the game, the Giants placed shortstop Edgar Renteria on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring and brought back Ryan Rohlinger from Fresno.

May-be he's human

Tim Lincecum, who had been 8-0 in his first 20 career starts in May, should be happy to see the calendar turn to June: